Park area may get student apartments

Sunday

Feb 17, 2008 at 12:01 AM

The Tuscaloosa Planning and Zoning Commission will consider the fate Monday of one of Tuscaloosa’s last large blocks of undeveloped property.The Dovetail Cos., a Georgia developer, wants to put a large apartment

By Robert DeWittStaff Writer

TUSCALOOSA | The Tuscaloosa Planning and Zoning Commission will consider the fate Monday of one of Tuscaloosa’s last large blocks of undeveloped property.The Dovetail Cos., a Georgia developer, wants to put a large apartment development on property adjacent to Snow Hinton Park that is now the residence of businessman Jimmy Hinton. The Woodlands of Tuscaloosa would have about 350 units housing 1,200 to 1,400 residents. A small portion of the property on Hargrove Road would be reserved for retail development.The company is asking the Planning Commission to rezone the 39-acre parcel from R-1 single-family residential zoning to R-4 and R4-S multifamily residential zoning. A small portion would be rezoned BN, a commercial zone.“We try to incorporate the natural setting of the property into our site plan rather than mass-grading the property,” Lawrence said. “We try to make our project flow with the property.”But the city’s planning staff believes it’s more important for traffic to flow through the development. Thirteenth Avenue East stubs out at the property line, and city planning staff believes it should be extended through the property, creating a connector between two major traffic arteries, Hargrove Road and Veterans Memorial Parkway.Long-range city plans for the property call for mixed-use development that’s mostly commercial, not residential.“A mixed use commercial/residential development with a majority of the mix dedicated to the commercial component and, including the extension of 13th Avenue East, would be appropriate use of this property,” the city’s planning staff recommendation to the Planning Commission states.The company wants to build an upscale, gated student development that would have the feel of a residential neighborhood, said Chase Lawrence, an investor relations specialist for Dovetail.

The property is already adjacent to the most prominent commercial district in town and backs up to retailers Target and Home Depot. Deputy Director of Planning and Economic Development John McConnell said it makes sense to use the property for commercial development.But Lawrence said the property is better suited to residential development.“It’s such a beautiful piece of property, I believe it would be an injustice to the property to make it commercial,” he said.A large floodway through the property limits its use. Dovetail’s conceptual site plan designates that area for green space. The company tries to incorporate natural settings into all of its developments, Lawrence said.The property includes a large number of mature trees that the company also plans to incorporate into the development, although more apartments could be added the property if the company cleared and leveled it.“I think the property will allow up to 600 units,” Lawrence said. “That’s not the kind of community we’re trying to build. We don’t like to build big-box apartment complexes. It’s a beautiful piece of property that deserves a very nice residential community.”But student housing development would create more traffic on already congested roads, particularly during peak hours, McConnell said. There are only three routes, Hargrove Road/Hackberry Lane, McFarland Boulevard and 15th Street, to the University of Alabama from the property. All of those roads are busy and two of them, 15th Street and Hackberry Lane, converge.“It’s my opinion that we need to do everything we can to concentrate large student housing developments near campus,” McConnell said.Regardless of how the property is developed, it’s important for 13th Avenue East to connect Hargrove Road and Veterans Memorial Parkway to provide some traffic relief, McConnell said. Home Depot and Target’s developers built the road to its current end point. While McConnell said Dovetail representatives said the road extension wouldn’t fit with the project, Lawrence said the company hasn’t ruled it out, and is still working on several options that could include the road.Lawrence believes commercial development would create more traffic congestion than student housing. Dovetail representatives showed their plans to planning commission members, who seemed to view it favorably.“Given the traffic load that [commercial development] would bring and the need for student housing, I believe everyone was on board with the concept for the community,” Lawrence said.The planning staff, however, has recommended the Planning Commission reject the developers’ request for rezoning. On rezoning issues, the planning commission makes recommendations to the City Council. The council can vote to accept or reject the commission’s recommendation.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.